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Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 11 April 1917, Page 5

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J FACING DEATH. ; -A SUBMARINE HORROR. i , SURVIVOR IN WELLINGTON. j ! An interesting arrival in Wellington is Mr William Jerrard one of twelve survivors |dt|fcic)f|; 800'men on board the Gladfet^ c jyhen..she was.«sjmk in the' Mediterranean 'by;a \GermaSitf submarine last year. To a Post reporter he gave sQ.me ; ;interesting details of his experiences. The Gladiator was on her way to the-Dardanelles, and was just rearing her last port when .an enemy isubmarine was sighted about 300 yjfrds away. The submarine was between the .gladiator : and ; another British ljtier, and those on the Gladiator signalled to the liner acquainting her captain of the peril. The liner immediately made off, and, doubling'her watches, readied her "port of destination twelve h|ura ahead of her scheduled time. ' Meanwhile, at a distance of ! a lfttle under 300yds th e submarine discharged a torpedo, which struck the Gladiator fairly amidships with a terrific crash. Those on board were given time to get to tleTlfpk'oats. fourteen of which, crammed full of men, were launched. Then of the Huns became 'apparent. The submarine com- ■ menced to shell the lifeboats, and soon they were reduced to matchwood, and the sea was, strewn with dead and dying and wreckage. It was an awful sight. Struggling in the water, Mr Jerrard and some of his mates had almost reached the limits of theirt strength when a huge boom from the wrecked Gladiator drifted past. Twelve of them managed to grasp it. The Germans continued to shell the pitifully small party of survivors, many of whom were severely wounded. Aften being in the water for five hours, the men, in the last stages of exhaustion, were picked up by a liner outward bound, and were conveyed to Sydney. Both on the liner and in the Walker Convalescent Home in Sydney the sufferers were treated with the utmost' kindness. Mr Jerrard left Sydney and went to America, weher he delivered a series of lectures.

Mr Jerrard has had a most adven-

turous career. He was at one time in the American Navy, and on the late Admiral Dewey's flagship was fie only man wounded at the Battle of Manilla. He was also on the Californian when' she received the wireless call for assistance from the sinking Titanic. Subsequently Mr Jerrard entered the British Navy and was engaged a good deal en semaphore work. He has come to reside in Wellington, and intimates his intention of assisting in the worK of the Central Mission.